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Jamilah

♀ Girl

Jamilah Pronunciation

Jamilah is pronounced jah-MEE-lah /dʒɑˈmi.lɑ/High

Meaning: Beautiful, graceful, lovely; feminine of Jamil, from Arabic jamal, 'beauty'High

In 30 seconds: Beauty, declared at the door: Jamilah is Arabic for 'beautiful' — a classical favorite the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement carried proudly into American letters. Loveliness with a long pedigree.

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Origin HighArabic

MeaningBeautiful, graceful, lovely; feminine of Jamil, from Arabic jamal, 'beauty'

U.S. rank (2024)#3525 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births44 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1977

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,613

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Jamilah is the feminine of Jamil — Arabic jamal, 'beauty, grace' — borne across the Arab world for centuries (the medieval singer Jamila of Medina among them) and embraced in twentieth-century Black America during the cultural movements that drew on Arabic and African names.

The -ah spelling sits closest to the Arabic; Jamila and Jameela circulate alongside. In the U.S. it is uncommon and warmly classic.

Did you know? Jamila was the heroine of a celebrated Chinghiz Aitmatov novella the poet Louis Aragon called 'the most beautiful love story in the world' — beauty's name living up to its meaning.

Overall data confidence 92%

Behind the Name — Jamila — etymology

Variations

JamilaJameelaJamillah

Nicknames

JamiMila

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Jamilah…

Jamila— the standard spelling of the same beauty

Amina— a fellow Arabic classic in American use

Nadia— the companion crossover favorite

Aaliyah— another Arabic-rooted name beloved in the U.S.

→ See all names like Jamilah

Browse the whole category: All Arabic names → · All origins →

Frequently Asked

How do you pronounce Jamilah?

Jamilah is pronounced jah-MEE-lah (/dʒɑˈmi.lɑ/). Press play above to hear Jamilah said aloud.

How do you say Jamilah?

Jamilah is said jah-MEE-lah (/dʒɑˈmi.lɑ/). Press play above to hear Jamilah said aloud.

What does the name Jamilah mean?

Jamilah is Arabic for 'beautiful, graceful', the feminine of Jamil.

Is Jamilah a boy or girl name?

Jamilah is a girl's name; Jamil is the masculine.

How popular is Jamilah?

Jamilah is an uncommon name in the U.S. and classic across the Arab world.